Port Stephens remains a popular holiday destination for Sydney families and business owners hold fears that unless the spread is contained immediately, the economic impact on the local tourism and business economies is expected to be severe.

The cancellation of accommodation bookings began last Friday, a day after NSW Health announced that three locally acquired cases of COVID-19 had been detected in the northern beaches.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been cautious in her approach, announcing a series of partial lockdowns around the northern beaches and greater Sydney area, but a contact case at Raymond Terrace McDonald's last Tuesday once again put the entire Port community on notice.

Hundreds of vehicles lined the drive through testing clinic at Nelson Bay and appointment times were extended at Raymond Terrace Respiratory Clinic on Monday and Tuesday to cater for the increased demand in testing.

As for the Christmas holidays, residents are being asked to reconsider their travel and festive plans, "until we get on top of this cluster".

Hunter New England Health public health physician Dr David Durrheim says now is not the time for travel between Sydney and regional NSW.

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"We want to make sure we can contain the virus in Sydney. So we would really ask people to pause their travel plans until we get on top of this cluster. It's quite clear it has spread to a number of sites outside of the Northern Beaches. We want to make sure we can contain it," he said.

"We really don't know, particularly in crowded areas, whether we may have been shoulder-to-shoulder with someone from Sydney.

"So anyone who develops even the mildest of respiratory symptoms, a cough, a sore throat, sniffles, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, don't ignore it. Go and get tested, isolate until you get your result, which is generally available within 24 hours.

"None of us wants to be responsible for inadvertently spreading COVID within our families or communities. We've ramped up testing capacity because of the demand."

Dr Durrheim has encouraged Port residents to revert back to measures that worked so well in enabling NSW to get on top of COVID the first time around.

"The advice is to keep your distance, not get too close to people who are outside of your household, make sure if you do touch any surface to use alcohol hand gel immediately afterwards and wear a face mask in crowded environments," he said.

"If you have to use public transport or can't defer urgent travel to Sydney, it's a really good idea to wear a face mask."

He said that all public health teams across the state were working hard to support their colleagues because what happened in Sydney affects everyone.

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"We really have to contain this cluster, get on top of it, stop transmission. We know that in businesses, restaurants, cafes, that it's much safer outdoors than indoors. If we want to still do a burgeoning business, move it outdoors. If it's indoors, space it properly. Move towards a 4m rule because it's much safer," he said.

"Make sure everyone uses a QR code because that helps our contact tracers do a good job in rapidly identifying people who might be close and making sure they safely quarantine.

"We, as individuals, can do our part to distance, to keep our hands clean, to wear a mask when we're in crowded areas and get tested if we have even the slightest of symptoms."

Destination Port Stephens chairman Andrew Macdonald said it was a very nervous time for the business sector and for a lot of residents who may be expecting visitors from Sydney or planning to travel to Sydney for Christmas.

"This is not what we needed just before Christmas but we are hopeful that the virus can be contained before it gets out of hand," he said.

"NSW has a proven record in contact tracing and having managed those cases in July gives us the confidence we can manage them again... so long as people do the right thing. The onus is not just on the businesses, many who have spent a lot of money getting ready for the summer holiday period after a bleak few months, but on all of us," he said.

Business Port Stephens president Leah Anderson said that the Sydney cluster was being closely monitored and that the next few days would be crucial in what restrictions would be imposed longer term.

"Businesses in Port Stephens have done an excellent job in keeping people safe since the pandemic hit and I have every confidence that they will continue to do everything in their power to remain COVID compliant," she said.

"That means ensuring details of all visitors are kept up to date for contact tracing purposes and that operators and shopkeepers continue to follow the NSW health regulations. Rules must be followed and people must get tested if they show signs of symptoms," she said.

Ms Anderson said that while accommodation operators would be hardest hit, there was a flow-on effect on the Port's small business community.

"Every cancellation has the potential for one less meal being purchased, one less tourist activity being taken, and so on."

Will Creedon, owner of the Port Stephens-based Alloggio which looks after hundreds of rental properties, said that booking cancellations started on Monday.

"Understandably, everyone is very cautious [following the latest COVID outbreak] which has obviously led to a number of booking cancellations or postponements from Sydney and from across the borders of Queensland and Victoria. We have been buoyed, however, by an increasing number of inquiries from people within NSW wanting to visit. They have seen an opportunity to holiday in Port Stephens," he said.

A Port Stephens Council spokesperson said that council's holiday parks would continue to operate under COVID safe plans and has offered refunds in full to all guests affected by the NSW public health order on the northern beaches.

Port residents and visitors to the area who are showing flu-like or respiratory symptoms or visited Raymond Terrace McDonald's between 11.45am and 12.15pm on Tuesday, December 15 are being urged to get tested for COVID-19.

NSW Health said on Sunday that a confirmed case had visited the McDonald's in William Bailey Street and that anyone who was at the restaurant between those times is regarded as a casual contact, should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive the results.

In Port Stephens, testing is available from Raymond Terrace Respiratory Clinic and the Laverty Pathology drive-through in Nelson Bay.

The clinic based at the rear of the Raymond Terrace Community Health Centre operates by appointment - no referral is needed - on weekdays. Hours have been extended to cater for the testing demand. Patients are to remain in their car, arrive at the appointment time and phone the clinic for further directions. To make an appointment phone (02) 4983 0900 or find the clinic on hotdoc.com.au.

No appointment or referral is needed to receive a COVID-19 test at the drive-through clinic located at Tomaree Sports Complex in Nelson Bay.

Patients access the clinic by turning into the sports complex off Nelson Bay Road, immediately turn right and drive through the car park of the No.1 Sportsground and croquet courts. Patients are advised to remain in their vehicle at all times.

The next nearest testing clinics are located at Maitland Hospital, Calvary Mater Hospital and John Hunter Hospital. Drive-through testing clinics are also located at the University of Newcastle and Warners Bay.